• Video: Watch highlights from Gross' win over Ralston on Tuesday night:
In its previous meeting with Ralston 10 days ago, Omaha Gross let a late lead slip away in a two-point loss.
During Tuesday's rematch, the Cougars were in no mood for a repeat performance.
After seeing an 11-point lead shrink to one point late in the game, No. 6 Gross hung on for a 62-59 victory over the No. 4 Rams in a River Cities Conference basketball tournament opener before 900 fans at the Ralston gym.
Gross (9-3) earned a rematch with top-ranked Skutt in a Thursday semifinal at Skutt. The SkyHawks defeated Gross 70-65 last Thursday night.
In those back-to-back losses to Ralston and Skutt, Cougar coach Tim Powers saw his team fail to make plays down the stretch that could have sealed victories in both games.
“When you get put in that situation, you tell the kids to focus on winning the game, not thinking about losing it,” Powers said. “Tonight, we kept our composure and hit our free throws.”
Gross led 48-37 late in the third quarter before the Rams (11-3) put together a run in the fourth.
They pulled within 55-52 following two Eric Tucker free throws with 4:34 remaining, then got within 57-56 on a Karon Crawford bucket with 1:28 left. Ralston had to make its comeback without leading scorer Dwight Smith, who fouled out with three minutes left.
Jerad Warner hit one of two free throws with 25 seconds left, leaving Ralston a chance to tie. But Crawford's floater was off the mark and Gross' Dylan Travis went to the free-throw line with 9.5 seconds left.
The sophomore sank both shots, capping a 27-point night to seal the win.
“I've never been in that situation as a high school player,” Travis said. “You just have to block everything out when you're up there.”
Coach Bill Heard's Ralston team was playing its third game in four days and while he liked the grit they showed, he wished that intensity had been present all evening.
“We didn't respond to the challenge,” Heard said. “Our kids competed their tails off in the fourth quarter, but you have to sustain that effort all game. You can't play hard for seven minutes and expect to win a game like this.”
Warner scored 17 points, while Tony Grant led the Rams with 22 points. Smith added 17 points.
Ralston's loss was its first to a conference team this season and its first setback to the Cougars since March of 2005.
“The kids are happy with the win,” Powers said. “We'll enjoy tonight and get ready for Skutt.”
Omaha Gross (9-3)....................18 16 15 13—62
At Ralston (11-3).........................10 21 8 20—59
OG: Taylor Sidzyik 2; Tony Nelson 4; Ben Coenen 5; Dylan Travis 27; Jerad Warner 17; Shaun McWilliams 3; Tom Jurgensen 4.
R: Grant Kay 7; Karon Crawford 9; Eric Hastings 2; Tony Grant 22; Eric Tucker 2; Dwight Smith 17.
Contact the writer:
444-1201, sports@owh.com
• Video: Watch highlights from Tuesday night's game between Elkhorn Mount Michael and Omaha St. Peter Claver:
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